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What is palliative care?

If you have a life-threatening condition or a serious illness, palliative care can:

help improve your quality of life

reduce or relieve your physical and psychological symptoms

help you have a more peaceful and dignified death

support your family and those you care for while you are dying and afterward

This type of treatment can involve:

pain management

symptom management, such as:

nausea

anxiety

depression

difficulty breathing

social, psychological, spiritual and emotional support

caregiver support

These services can be appropriate for people of all ages. They aim to make you and your loved ones feel as comfortable as possible. This can be done through personalized treatment plans that meet your needs and those of your family.

Information and support on palliative and end-of-life care, loss and grief can also be found at the Canadian Virtual Hospice.

Who can provide palliative care?

Palliative care can address suffering experienced in all areas of your life. Because of this, a diverse team can be involved in providing palliative care. The team may include:

physicians

nurses

pharmacists

social workers

trained volunteers

home care workers

bereavement support workers

informal caregivers, such as family members

The type of care team and level of training they receive can vary across the country.

Where are palliative care services provided?

Palliative care can be provided in a variety of settings, such as:

hospitals

at home

long-term care facilities

hospices (a home for people living with a terminal illness)

While hospitals are designed to address severe and urgent needs, they may not be the best location for comfortable end-of-life care. Also, delivery of and access to palliative and hospice care varies across Canada. This is due to differences in:

needs of society

level of funding

regional demographics

organization of health care services

availability of trained health care providers and volunteers

There is no single national palliative care program. This is why governments and health care institutions are developing better models of palliative care in Canada where:

Developing a framework for palliative care in Canada

On December 12, 2017, the federal government passed a bill calling for the Minister of Health to create a framework for palliative care in Canada. The Act (formerly, Bill C-277) says that the Minister must develop a framework that will support improved access to palliative care across Canada. The Minister must also consult with provinces, territories and palliative care providers. The Act says the framework should focus on important issues facing palliative care, including:

Training and education for health professionals and other caregivers

Ways to support palliative care providers

Promoting research and data gathering

Ways to support access to palliative care no matter where you live

On December 4, 2018, the Minister of Health tabled the Framework on Palliative Care in Canada in Parliament. The Framework reflects the voices of the many Canadians heard throughout the consultations. It presents a common Vision and Guiding Principles, as well as short, medium and long term goals related to each of the important issues mentioned above. The Framework also includes priorities identified through the consultations; these are actions that any individual or organization can use in their palliative care policy and program planning. The Framework represents a guideline for all palliative care stakeholders to use to improve access across Canada.

Health Canada will follow up with a plan that sets out those priorities that fall under federal responsibility, and how the federal government plans to implement them.